Field
This disclosure relates, in general, to the field of medical injectors, and, more particularly, to a multi-dose disposable system for use with a fluid injection system.
Description of the Related Art
In many medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, a medical practitioner, such as a physician, injects a patient with a fluid. In recent years, a number of injector-actuated syringes and powered injectors for pressurized injection of fluids have been developed for use in procedures, such as angiography, computed tomography, ultrasound, and NMR/MRI. In general, these powered injectors are designed to deliver a preset amount of fluid at a preset flow rate. The powered injectors are configured to deliver one or both of a contrast solution (“contrast”) and a flushing solution, such as saline.
Presently, contrast and saline are provided in containers, such as sterilized glass bottles or flexible plastic bags. Because contrast and saline are injected into the patient, these fluids must be sterile and substantially void of contaminants. Additionally, a fluid path that delivers the contrast and saline from the container to the patient must be sterilized. Various medical connectors are known in the art for providing a fluid connection at various points between the containers and the patient. Conventional medical connectors and fluid path elements are generally provided in pre-sterilized, sealed packages prior to use. A user, such as a medical practitioner, must remove the medical connector from its package and connect it prior to use. While it is possible to maintain sterility in manufacturing and packaging of medical connectors, various sources of contamination may be introduced as soon as the medical connector is removed from the pre-sterilized, sealed package. For example, airborne particles, such as germs in droplets from coughs or sneezes, may accumulate on a fluid connection element of the medical connector, thereby contaminating it. Spores and dust are additional airborne particulates that may contaminate the medical connector. In use, the medical connector may be contaminated by inadvertent contact with a non-sterile material, such as the clothing or body of a medical practitioner or a patient. Sterility may be further compromised in the process of making a connection between a medical connector and a medical container by touching a non-sterile surface.
Even though various medical connectors of myriad designs have been used for many years, they are associated with a number of drawbacks. During use, it is essential that all contact with non-sterile surfaces is avoided and that exposure to airborne contaminants is reduced or minimized, or eliminated. Each time a fluid connection is established between a medical article, such as a syringe, a dosage container or a pump, and a fluid line connected to a patient, such as a catheter inserted into the patient, a new, sterile medical connector or fluid path element should be used to connect the fluid line between the medical article and the patient. However, sterility of connection between various medical connector components is often compromised if the connection is not made in a sterile environment, such as in a pharmacy or lab under a laminar flow hood. Most connections are not made in this manner. In a multi-patient system, a single non-sterile connection has the risk of compromising the sterility of the entire multi-patient system for multiple patients.